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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23205982">Have Faith in Instinct</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NorthernGhost/pseuds/NorthernGhost'>NorthernGhost</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The NoGho DLC Files [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Between Series, Comfort, F/F, Family, Friendship/Love, One Shot, Side Story, Standalone, Story "DLC", coming to terms with feelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:42:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,922</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23205982</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NorthernGhost/pseuds/NorthernGhost</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Aloy has some tough questions to answer for herself about two of the closest women to her, but doesn't trust herself to do so correctly. Sometimes you have to go right to the source to get to the bottom of a problem, though.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aloy &amp; Elisabet Sobeck, Aloy/Talanah Khane Padish</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The NoGho DLC Files [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1668388</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Have Faith in Instinct</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So this was an idea I had kicking around for a little while. I have multiple ideas for small, "side story" one shots based technically in the universe established by my larger series, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/series/1218735">Living Systems</a> and <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/series/1593841">The Devil Lies in the West</a>, that also can function as their own little standalone stories.</p>
<p>Story "DLC", if you will.</p>
<p>Basically, you can read this if you've never read either of those series and still hopefully make sense of it, and if it intrigues you to read the longer series, then hey, win-win.</p>
<p>So here's the first idea that popped into my head for this little "side series". Essentially, it's set between the two series mentioned above, as there's a roughly 20 year gap between the end of <em>Living Systems</em> and the start of <em>The Devil Lies in the West</em> that is rife with ideas for these sorts of things.</p>
<p>Also, with everything the way it is lately, I think I just wanted to write something lighter.</p>
<p>Full disclosure: I was relatively drunk when I wrote this initially, and cleaned up spelling, grammar, etc. later.</p>
<p>So yeah, enjoy.</p>
<p>More to come, too.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Fuck!”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy burst through the front door of her apartment, spinning around only to slam it hard enough that the latch didn’t catch and it began to swing back open once again, prompting the redhead to slam her fist against it, holding the portal in place, finally.  She remained propped against the door for several long moments, breathing heavily, until a heavy sigh from behind her prompted her to close her eyes, leaning her forehead against the hard wood.<br/>
</p><p>“Kiddo…”<br/>
</p><p>“I don’t—!” she whirled around, pointing one finger wildly as she barely grasped the image of another figure across the room from her.  “I don’t need a fucking lecture!”<br/>
</p><p>The older redhead across from her raised her hands defensively, backing away a step or two before taking a seat on the arm of the couch against the far wall.<br/>
</p><p>“I wasn’t going to,” she said calmly.<br/>
</p><p>“But—” the younger redhead snapped, before sighing heavily and spinning to latch the door behind her before pushing away from it and moving toward the kitchen to her left.<br/>
</p><p>“But you thought I was going to?”<br/>
</p><p>“Well, that’s all I seem to hear from you,” Aloy snapped, whirling toward the older redhead halfway to her destination and changing course to stalk toward her.<br/>
</p><p>“Well… I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean for it to feel that way.”<br/>
</p><p>“I—ugh…” the younger redhead growled, spinning on her heel as she rubbed the heels of her hands into her eyes forcefully.<br/>
</p><p>“All I was going to say is that I know where you’ve been…”<br/>
</p><p>“Oh?  And what’s your solution to it?” Aloy snapped, whipping her hands away from her face as she spun on her heel, once again.<br/>
</p><p>“I don’t have one, unfortunately.”<br/>
</p><p>The younger redhead let out a short, dry laugh as the older redhead across from her sighed and shook her head.<br/>
</p><p>“Aloy, everyone’s different…”<br/>
</p><p>“Oh, believe me, I know.”<br/>
</p><p>“So I don’t have the ‘one size fits all’ answer…”<br/>
</p><p>“Too bad.”<br/>
</p><p>“Will you listen to me for one second?”<br/>
</p><p>The younger redhead ground her teeth irritably as she leaned against the counter in the kitchen of her apartment, folding her arms tightly over her chest.  After several long moments of silence, the older redhead across from her sighed and rose from her seat on the arm of the couch.<br/>
</p><p>“I’ve had fights, just like you have,” she sighed, “and each one was different.  It all depends on what caused it.”<br/>
</p><p>“Nothing, that’s what!”<br/>
</p><p>The older redhead shot her an admonishing look as Aloy groaned loudly.<br/>
</p><p>“You’re going to tell me I’m wrong.”<br/>
</p><p>“You are.”<br/>
</p><p>The younger redhead scoffed loudly.<br/>
</p><p>“I thought you were on my side!”<br/>
</p><p>“I am, that’s why I’m telling you that you may be wrong.”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy glared at the seemingly older version of herself as she leaned against the other side of the small island in the kitchen before her, raising her eyebrows slightly.<br/>
</p><p>“You ever heard the phrase ‘tough love’?”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy shook her head.<br/>
</p><p>“Well, that’s what I’m about to give you,” the older woman sighed.<br/>
</p><p>“Oh, good.”<br/>
</p><p>“Listen, kiddo, you know that I’m trying my best to look out for you…”<br/>
</p><p>“You’re stalling.”<br/>
</p><p>The older redhead shot her an intense glare and Aloy quickly fell silent.<br/>
</p><p>“I <em>am</em>, whether you think so, or not,” she began, once again.  “I don’t like you seeing you angry at someone you l—”<br/>
</p><p>“Let’s—” Aloy suddenly cut in, instantly straightening up, “let’s just… uh… just get to the next part.”<br/>
</p><p>“Aloy…”<br/>
</p><p>“Elisabet…”<br/>
</p><p>The older redhead sighed, shaking her head as the younger redhead felt her face beginning to heat up.<br/>
</p><p>“You know that you’re no good at hiding these sort of things from me.”<br/>
</p><p>“And I still wonder if they’re actually mine, or yours!”<br/>
</p><p>Both women instantly froze as they stared back at each other, their eyes wide.  Aloy’s mouth instantly went dry as she tried to swallow, but found a strange, strangled feeling in her throat that prevented her.<br/>
</p><p>“Aloy…”<br/>
</p><p>The younger redhead began to shake her head, quickly moving to stalk past the older redhead, but she blocked her path almost instantly.<br/>
</p><p>“Aloy.”<br/>
</p><p>“You heard me!”<br/>
</p><p>The girl’s voice came out as almost more of a sob than a shout, prompting her to glance away from the older woman before her, clenching her jaw tightly.<br/>
</p><p>“I did, but I want to talk about it.”<br/>
</p><p>“Maybe I don’t.”<br/>
</p><p>“I don’t care.”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy finally turned back to Elisabet to find the older redhead staring back at her, instantly making eye contact.<br/>
</p><p>“Is that how you truly feel?”<br/>
</p><p>The younger redhead bit her lower lip as she held back the torrent of words that threatened to break free from inside her chest.<br/>
</p><p>“Tell me.  Do you truly not have feelings—care for her?”<br/>
</p><p>“I…”<br/>
</p><p>The older redhead raised her eyebrows as the younger girl let out a loud growl, spinning on her heel and swinging her fist at the empty air behind her.<br/>
</p><p>“I don’t know!”<br/>
</p><p>“Aloy…”<br/>
</p><p>“When I first… <em>woke up</em>,” she continued, “back in All Mother Mountain… I didn’t know, really.  The longer I was awake, the more I… I couldn’t decide…”<br/>
</p><p>“Aloy, listen.”<br/>
</p><p>Suddenly, Elisabet’s hands grabbed the younger redhead’s shoulders, spinning her around before gripping them tightly to hold her in place as the older redhead stood only a foot or so away from her.<br/>
</p><p>“I’m not at all saying you <em>should</em> or you <em>have to</em> feel a certain way… if you don’t…”<br/>
</p><p>“But I don’t know if I… don’t!” Aloy snapped.<br/>
</p><p>“You’re the only one who can answer that,” Elisabet sighed, shaking her head.<br/>
</p><p>“But… but…”<br/>
</p><p>“So, what’s your answer?”<br/>
</p><p>Suddenly, Aloy glanced over Elisabet’s shoulder before letting out a groan.  The older redhead glanced back to find two figures standing in the middle of the apartment’s main floor, each seemingly wearing an expectant expression.<br/>
</p><p>“You brought them here.”<br/>
</p><p>“Make them go away.”<br/>
</p><p>“I can’t do that.”<br/>
</p><p>“I can’t make this decision right now.”<br/>
</p><p>“Aloy…”<br/>
</p><p>“I just fucking got into a screaming bought with <em>her</em> in the middle of a Meridian street!” the younger redhead spat, gesturing to the dark-haired figure in blue, yellow, and red Carja silks by the door to her apartment before gesturing to the tall man in the much sturdier Oseram clothing by the couch Elisabet had previously sat on, “and… let’s not even get into what happened a few days ago at that pub…”<br/>
</p><p>Both of the other fingers glanced at each other silently before turning back to the younger redhead.<br/>
</p><p>“Don’t look at me like that!”<br/>
</p><p>“Aloy, don’t bother,” Elisabet sighed.  “It’s not worth it.”<br/>
</p><p>“But they’re still here!”<br/>
</p><p>“And I’m sure they will be until you either make a decision, or at least start talking about it.”<br/>
</p><p>“Fuck!”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy tried to twist away from Elisabet, but she held fast to her shoulders.<br/>
</p><p>“I’m not saying you need a final answer, right now, but just… talk about it.”<br/>
</p><p>“I don’t—”<br/>
</p><p>“I know you don’t want to,” Elisabet interrupted, “but I’m making you.”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy glared back at her, jaw set.<br/>
</p><p>“<em>Making</em> me?  Like, what, you’re my mother?”<br/>
</p><p>As soon as the words left her mouth, both women froze, their faces paling.  They both remained in place for several long moments before Elisabet swallowed heavily.<br/>
</p><p>“Uh… well…”<br/>
</p><p>“D-don’t… you don’t have to answer…”<br/>
</p><p>“No, Aloy,” the older redhead said, shaking her head firmly, “it’s a fair question.”<br/>
</p><p>“What?  No, I—”<br/>
</p><p>“Do you think of me that way?”<br/>
</p><p>The younger redhead instantly fell silent, blinking in surprise at the women before her.<br/>
</p><p>“D-do I… what?”<br/>
</p><p>“You heard me.”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy swallowed nervously, feeling the cold sweat instantly forming on her palms as every fiber of her being fought her to remain silent.<br/>
</p><p>“I-I… we’re… m-maybe… but…”<br/>
</p><p>Elisabet raised her eyebrows slightly as the younger redhead closed her eyes, bowing her head.<br/>
</p><p>“I don’t know.”<br/>
</p><p>Silence fell over them for several long moments before she finally sighed, opening her eyes, once again.<br/>
</p><p>“How could I answer that knowing you’re… you’re just in my head…”<br/>
</p><p>“Doesn’t fucking matter.”<br/>
</p><p>She recoiled slightly at Elisabet’s response, eyes widening.<br/>
</p><p>“What do you <em>think</em>?  What do you <em>feel</em>?”<br/>
</p><p>“I-I…”<br/>
</p><p>“Aloy, it… I don’t think it’s any surprise that I care <em>deeply</em> for you,” the older redhead replied, shaking her shoulders slightly.  “Otherwise I could just shut the fuck up and just… let whatever happens—happen.”<br/>
</p><p>“No!”<br/>
</p><p>Both redheads recoiled slightly at Aloy’s sudden outburst, falling silent until the girl swallowed nervously.<br/>
</p><p>“P-please don’t…. don’t do that.”<br/>
</p><p>Elisabet raised her eyebrows once again.<br/>
</p><p>“So…”<br/>
</p><p>“You already know, don’t you?”<br/>
</p><p>“Maybe I do… maybe I don’t,” the older woman shrugged.  “Tell me.  Say what’s on your mind.”<br/>
</p><p>The redheaded girl shook her head, once again, closing her eyes.<br/>
</p><p>“Aloy, there’s no one else here but us…”<br/>
</p><p>“Fine, okay, you want an answer?” she interrupted, her eyes opening as her head snapped up, once again.<br/>
</p><p>Elisabet waited expectantly as Aloy composed herself, taking a deep breath.<br/>
</p><p>“Deep down… some part of me… wants to—<em>desperately</em>—say you are, but… but it can’t let me, because…”<br/>
</p><p>“You can’t point to a real person, right here, right now.  You can’t introduce me to anyone you know.”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy nodded, biting her lower lip forcefully to try to stop it from trembling.<br/>
</p><p>“I know,” Elisabet sighed, “and I… I’m not that happy about it, either.”<br/>
</p><p>Both women fell silent for several long moments before Aloy cleared her throat, once again.<br/>
</p><p>“That same feeling—deep down—is… how I think I feel about… you know.”<br/>
</p><p>Elisabet’s lips pulled into a small smile as she squeezed Aloy’s shoulders gently.<br/>
</p><p>“I think you have your answer, then.”<br/>
</p><p>The younger redhead groaned as Elisabet laughed, but pulled her closer, wrapping her arms around the girl.  Aloy quickly returned the embrace, burying her face in the older redhead’s shoulder.  A moment later, Elisabet’s hand began to slowly stroke her hair.<br/>
</p><p>“You want some real advice?”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy nodded, while still keeping her face buried.<br/>
</p><p>“Go with that gut feeling.  Don’t question it.  If you don’t, and decide it’s wrong… you’ll always regret it.”<br/>
</p><p>“That’s… dark…” Aloy mumbled.<br/>
</p><p>“It’s the truth,” Elisabet sighed.  “Trust me.”<br/>
</p><p>A moment later, the redheads broke their embrace, leaving Elisabet with her hands on Aloy’s shoulders, once again.<br/>
</p><p>“So… what’s your answer, then?”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy bit her lower lip, once again, before sighing.<br/>
</p><p>“I think… I think I was wrong.”<br/>
</p><p>Elisabet’s eyebrows raised as Aloy’s expression began to twist into a smirk.<br/>
</p><p>“I got mad at Talanah, but…”<br/>
</p><p>The older redhead rolled her eyes as she shook Aloy’s shoulders playfully.<br/>
</p><p>“Nearly gave me a heart attack, kiddo.”<br/>
</p><p>“Oh, you thought I meant about you?”<br/>
</p><p>Elisabet glared back at her in retaliation to her teasing tone.<br/>
</p><p>“You did that on purpose.”<br/>
</p><p>“I thought you knew me.”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy laughed as Elisabet sighed exasperatedly, but released her shoulders with one last shove.<br/>
</p><p>“So… what are you going to do now?”<br/>
</p><p>“Well, I—uh—don’t know how soon she’s going to want to talk to me…”<br/>
</p><p>“If you start with an apology, I’m sure she’ll speak as soon as you want to.”<br/>
</p><p>“But—”<br/>
</p><p>“I thought you already admitted you were wrong?”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy sighed heavily, once again, rubbing her eyes tiredly.<br/>
</p><p>“I hate that you’re right.”<br/>
</p><p>“It’s not fun, nor easy,” Elisabet said, “but it you <em>really</em> care… and <em>really</em> want to show her… then admit it to her face.”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy groaned loudly, beginning to pace away from the older redhead.<br/>
</p><p>“Or you can stick to your guns, be an obstinate child, and push her further away.”<br/>
</p><p>“No!”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy whirled around toward Elisabet to find her with a devilish smirk on her features.<br/>
</p><p>“I thought so.”<br/>
</p><p>“I… she…”<br/>
</p><p>“Do you still think they’re not your feelings?”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy’s mouth hung open, but no words came to her.<br/>
</p><p>“Fine, let me give you an answer you seem to desperately want,” Elisabet sighed, folding her arms over her chest as she leaned against the island, once again.  “They are.  They may not have been there when you ‘woke up’ in All Mother Mountain, but by now… they’ve grown in you.”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy groaned, yet again, prompting Elisabet to sigh heavily.<br/>
</p><p>“Why are you so upset by that?”<br/>
</p><p>“I’ve lived, what, twenty-five years without having to deal with this?” she spat.<br/>
</p><p>“But do you truly want to live the rest of your life without feeling anything like you are now?”<br/>
</p><p>“I-I…”<br/>
</p><p>“No, you don’t,” Elisabet interrupted, shaking her head.  “I didn’t, and I know you don’t, either, despite what you say or do.”<br/>
</p><p>“But…”<br/>
</p><p>“It’s not always easy.  It’s not always fun,” Elisabet interrupted, yet again, her eyes somewhat unfocused as she stared into the air before her for a moment before she blinked and the clarity returned, once again, as she turned her gaze to the younger redhead, once again, “but in the end… you’ll fucking hate yourself if you just throw it away.”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy recoiled slightly at Elisabet’s words and the hard expression that had taken over her features.<br/>
</p><p>“So…”<br/>
</p><p>“If you feel it deep down, Aloy,” she continued, “don’t convince yourself you don’t.  You don’t deserve that… <em>she</em> doesn’t deserve that.”<br/>
</p><p>The younger redhead swallowed nervously just before a loud knocking prompted her to whirl around in surprise.  As she did, she found her head suddenly lifting from its place against a pillow, and she stared down at it in confusion for a moment before memories of storming into her apartment and flinging herself onto her bed filtered back into her mind.<br/>
</p><p>“Right…” she grumbled, running one hand over her face before crawling to the edge of the bed and blinking against the grogginess that still hung over her.<br/>
</p><p>A moment later, the knocking came again, and she sighed, dragging herself to her feet before plodding down the stairs to the ground floor of her apartment.  When she approached her front door, she paused, hand on the latch, to take a deep breath before opening it.<br/>
</p><p>Instantly, the image of an incredibly familiar, dark-haired Carja woman appeared before, one hand raised to knock again, before it fell by her side.<br/>
</p><p>“Hey…” Talanah said softly, “I… uh… after earlier…”<br/>
</p><p>“No, don’t,” Aloy said quickly, before wincing and clamping her mouth shut for a moment.  “Don’t apologize.  It’s… it wasn’t your fault, at all.”<br/>
</p><p>“I… uh…”<br/>
</p><p>“It was mine,” she continued.  “I fully admit it and… I… I’m…”<br/>
</p><p>Talanah raised one eyebrow slightly as Aloy squirmed uncomfortably.<br/>
</p><p>“I’m sorry.”<br/>
</p><p>Silence fell over them for a moment or two before the Carja girl responded.<br/>
</p><p>“O-oh?”<br/>
</p><p>“I… was an idiot,” she continued.  “I… I hate that I… that I caused that argument in… in the market.”<br/>
</p><p>Talanah continued to remain silent as she watched Aloy expectantly.<br/>
</p><p>“You… I…”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy trailed off, once again, as she stared vacantly at the doorframe beside her for a moment until something finally steeled in her gut and she took a deep breath before suddenly stepping forward.  Before she knew what she was doing, her left hand had found its place along the Carja girl’s cheek while her lips had pressed firmly against hers.  Talanah jumped in response, recoiling slightly, which prompted a heavy, sinking feeling in the redhead’s gut, her face quickly falling.<br/>
</p><p>A moment later, however, the Carja girl had pressed forward, placing both hands on either side of the redhead’s face as her lips crashed into hers, once again, although with perhaps even more force than a moment ago.  They both remained in the moment for several, long seconds, until they finally parted, once again, Talanah’s warm breath washing over Aloy’s face with a heavy sigh.<br/>
</p><p>“I… I…” the redhead stammered.<br/>
</p><p>“I was waiting for you to do that,” the Carja girl sighed.  “I was scared I was going to have to be the first one.”<br/>
</p><p>“<em>You</em>?!”<br/>
</p><p>Talanah’s face began to turn a dark crimson as Aloy grinned.<br/>
</p><p>“I suppose you were a little less… <em>subtle</em>.”<br/>
</p><p>“Okay, are you just going to make fun of me now, or…?”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy laughed before quickly pressing forward into a kiss, once again.  Before she could fully comprehend what was happening, she realized that she had pulled Talanah into her apartment, the Carja girl kicking the door closed behind her.  Aloy’s hands quickly clasped behind the dark-haired girl’s neck as they remained locked at the lips for several moments longer, until they parted with heavy sighs, once again.<br/>
</p><p>“So…” Talanah panted, grinning, “I guess I accept your apology…”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy rolled her eyes and began to pull away, only for Talanah to quickly wrap her arms behind her, holding her in place.<br/>
</p><p>“Wait, wait!” she said quickly.  “I… just… I was kidding, but… do you really mean it?”<br/>
</p><p>“Mean what?”<br/>
</p><p>“Mean… everything just now.”<br/>
</p><p>“I didn’t say anything.”<br/>
</p><p>“I wasn’t referring to what you said out loud,” Talanah sighed.  “Aloy, I… you know my side.  I want to know yours.  I was the one who showed up at your door after half of the city was scared off when you started yelling in that marketplace, and… if not, I can’t do that again.  So tell me.  Please.”<br/>
</p><p>The redhead bit her lower lip before attempting to press forward once again, only for the Carja girl to place one finger against her lips, stopping her.<br/>
</p><p>“With your words.”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy pouted slightly, which only prompted the Carja girl to grin.<br/>
</p><p>“I know you know how to use them.”<br/>
</p><p>“But…”<br/>
</p><p>“Say something.  <em>Please</em>.”<br/>
</p><p>Aloy swallowed against the heavy lump that had appeared in her throat at the pleading tone in the dark-haired huntress’s voice.<br/>
</p><p>“I mean it.  Really.”<br/>
</p><p>Talanah’s eyes bored into hers for several moments before a wide grin began to spread across her features.<br/>
</p><p>“Okay…”</p>
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